Building construction



A. F. BODENSTEIN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20, 1935 mill ATTORNEYS 4] INVENTol-i; A Bl oolensein M. MJ, 4a

` March 5, 1935.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STAT-.Es

` BUILDrNG y CONSTRUCTION Alexander F. Bodenstein, Madison, Wis.

Application July Z0, 1933, Serial No. 681,289

'i i8 Claims.

This invention relates to building construction, and with regard to certainrnore specific features, to wall construction.

Among the several objects oi the invention may be noted the provision of `improved re-eniorced concrete wall.

Another objectis to provide a wall of the character described which may be formed entirely from standard materials.

Another object is to provide an improved wall of the character described which is simple and economical Ato construct.

Another object is to provide a wallof .the char acter described which. is stronger and more enivcient than walls formed from the same materials but put up by the known methods of construction. ther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the eatures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as'will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one oi the various possible embodiments of this invention, v

Figure i is a horizontal section of a wall embodying the invention; and,

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same wall taken on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several View of the drawing.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of the invention, it is pointed out that the present method of employing concrete for the superstructure of walls of smaller factories, of dwelling houses, and the like, has had many disadvantages. For example, even with the type of ire-enforcing used it has been advisable to make the walls so thick that the cost of material and the cost of construction oftentimes precluded the use oi concrete throughouttheouterwalls of suchbuildings. This old type of construction also had the disadvantage that the thicker walls entailed a higher construction cost because ofthe diiliculties involved in the erection of, and the taking down, of the forms used in the pouring of the concrete walls.

This former type of wall construction had the further disadvantage that, if the concrete wall were made thinner, and thefstrength or the wall was sacrificed, it was not weather proof and did notV keep out the dampness during abnormally wet conditions. i i

' tions 5, as at 19.

It is another object of this application to overcome these disadvantages of the earlier types of concrete wall construction in a practical and economical manner.

Referring now to Figure 1, a wall 6 is shownV having an outer section 8, and an inner section l0, the two sections being join'edintegrally by studs, or uprights, forming bear-ing supports, generally indicated at l.. These uprights, or studs, may be in the form o' angles rolled or bent, as shown, or in the orrn of I, H or U beams, and may be erected, or mounted in position, in any known manner. Ii' my improved type of wall construction is used for a dwelling house of 20,900-3000 cubic feet, for example, -I have found that asatisiactory construction is obtained by using angle bearing studs 3 X 3 i: 1/8 spaced on 32 inch centers. A flange of each angle stud l is preferably positioned parallelto the general surface of the wall, whereas the other flange 5, or what I term the portion of each stud 1', is preferably positioned at right angles to the wall. As shown in Figure 2, the' studs l are'V secured at the top and bottom respectively to horizontal top and bottom beams 2 and ,4, as by welding, or the like, although other means, such as rivets, may be employed. As shown, these top and bottom horizontal beams are also angles, and may be 3 X 3 X 1/8 Afor the exampleabove mentioned- Evenly spaced between the angle bearing studs l, and separating the sections 8 and 10, are small.- er angle studs (generally indicated at '7) which, for purposes oi description, I shall term non-bearing studs. "Ihese, as the bearing studs, maybe erected in position in any convenient manner, and in the type oi house above mentioned are y preferably placed on 32 inch centers and of the dimensions 11/2" x 11/2 X 1/3. The studs 7 have langes 9 which, as the flanges 3,are preferably parallel to the wall; and also have what I term a main portion ll at right angles to the wall.

For the purposes to be described hereinafter, the flanges 3 are vpreferably spaced outwardly from the flanges 9, as shown, but the rear edges 13 and 15 of the main portions 5 and llrespectively are aligned in the same vertical plane.

Secured, preferably by welding, to the flanges 9 of the non-bearing angle studs 'I are sections of sheet iron backing 1'? each section extending between adjacent bearing studs 1 and being Welded or otherwise attached to the main por- (See also Figure 20.) This backing is preferably corrugated, with the'crests andv troughs of the corrugations running` in horizontal directions. Under certain conditions of construction, the. backing may be secured to the top horizontal beam 2 and to the bottom horizontal beam 4, as by welding or the like. With this construction, it is clear that the sheet iron backing secured to the bearing studs 1, to the non-bearing studs 7, and to the horizontal beams 2 and s, acts as a continuous truss, and so re-enforces the studs and renders the whole steel structure more rigid.

Secured to the anges 3 of the bearing studs 1, and also to the top and bottom horizontal beams 2 and 4, is an open mesh wire screen 20, the interstices 21 of which are large enough to permit concrete to be poured, or sprayed, therethrough. 'Ifhis wire mesh 19 serves as a re-enforcing for a concrete wall 23 to be described hereinafter. The wire mesh may, for example, be chicken wire, or other types of fence wire, and may be secured to the studs and beams in any convenient manner, such as, for example, by wires through holes in the studs and beams, or by tabs (not shown), stamped outY of the studs, or beams.

To complete the front or outer wall 8 of the wallconstruction 6, the concrete wall 23 is formed in such a way that the iianges 3 of the s tuds 1, and the wire mesh 19 is embedded in the concrete, which is in intimate contact with and backed by the corrugated metal backing 17. The concrete is preferably applied by spraying it against the backing 17 through and around the wre'mesh 19 and theiianges 3 of the studs 1. The wall is thus preferably built up until the desired thickness is obtained for the particular Conditions required. v For the type of house above mentioned, a two inch concrete wall has been found satisfactory.

I have found that when the wall 8 is thus built up, with the arrangement between the backing 17 the wire mesh 419, and the flanges 3, such that the Wire mesh is embedded in the wall 23 closer to the outer surface than to they inner surface thereof some advantages are obtained. One of them is that the wire mesh being closer to the outer surface of the wall helpsto hold the concrete in place as the wall is built up.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that the concrete wall thus formed has many new advantages. The portions of the studs 1. embedded in the concrete re-enforce it, as does the wire mesh 19 secured to the studs 1 and the beams 2 and 4; and the corrugated iron backing 17 also re-enforces the concrete, adding both it its tensile and compressive strength. The corrugations in the backing 17 particularly add to the rigidity and strength of the concrete wall against horizontal perpendicular pressures. Y

Another advantage of the wall 8 as thus constructed, is that no forms are required for the placing of the concrete, the backing 17 forming a wall against which the concrete may be sprayed in order that the desired thickness may be built up. Further, because of the support given by the backing 1'7, the concrete wall 23 may beV made considerably thinner than the usual wall, thereby permitting a saving in the cost of materials and a saving `in the cost of construction.

Another advantage of my improved type of construction is that the relatively thin concrete wall has a fire resistance of a much thicker poured wall, built under the old type of construction. Further, it has more strength than a correspondingly thick ordinary concrete wall, both in compression and tension. Furthermore, the wall thus formed, although relatively thin, is wind proof, water proof and termite proof (there Vwhich is determined by the studs.

being no organic material to be attacked), even under abnormal conditions.

Under certain conditions of operation, however, it may be preferable to use a form for the outer surface of the concrete wall 23 in which event the wall would be poured rather than sprayed. Further, brick, stone, stucco or other desired exterior nish 3l may be applied to the concrete wall 23 which serves as a suitable backing.

It is desirable under most conditions of operation to employ materials for the studs 1, the backing 17, the wire mesh 19, and the concrete wall 23, which have approximately the same coefcients of expansion; such a provision together with the rigidity of the structure, hereinbefore described, practically eliminates any cracking of the wall 23.

Referring now to the inner wall 10 of the wall construction, metal lathing 25 is preferably secured to the edges 13 and 15 of the main portions 5 and l1 of studs 1 and '7, the lathingV extending between the top and bottom beams 2 and 4, to which'it may also be secured by suitable means. This lathing is preferably metal and may be of any desired construction, a primary purpose of the lathing being to form a support for plaster 27 applied to the lathing 25 by known methods. p From the foregoing it is clear that the inner wall 10, as thus formed, is separated from the outer wall 8 by a dead air space 29 the depth of One of the advantages of such an air space is that it provides additional insulation against the flow of heat andV moisture. Y

The wall construction 6 of my invention, as described in the foregoingembodiment, is preferably formed from non-combustible materials throughout with the result that the wall itself will not support combustion. Further, the various parts of the wall are formed from standard materials, which are easily obtained; thus, a comparatively low cost of construction is assured. Y

As various embodiments might be made `of `this invention, and as various changes might be made in the construction herein described, all without departing from the scope of the invene tion, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying rawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A wall construction including spaced Vertical angle bearing studs, vertical non-bearing angle studs spaced between said bearing studs, one set of sides of said angle studs being parallel to the surface of the wall, the bearing stud sides extending to a Vertical plane beyond a plane containing the sides of the non-bearing studs, the other set of sides of said angle studs being at right angles to the Wall, the edges of these sides being aligned in the same vertical plane; a corrugated sheet metal backing secured to the front surface of the parallel sides of the nonbearing studs, extending between the bearing studs andsecured thereto at the right angle sides; wire mesh secured to the front surface of the parallel sides of said bearing studs; a two inch concrete wall containing the said wire mesh, the said parallel sides of said bearing studs and backed bysaid corrugated sheet metal backing thereby forming a reinforced weather proof, termite proof, re proof concrete wall; metal lathing secured to the said edges of the right angle.

sides of said angle studs; and plaster on said lathing, forming an inner wall spaced from said outer concrete wall by the depth of the right angle sides of said non-bearing studs.

2. in a wall construction having an outersurface and an inner surface, in combination, spaced` vertical bearing studs, vertical non-bearing studs spaced between said bearing studs, the inner edges of the studs being aligned in the same vertical plane andthe outer edges of the bearing studs being aligned in a single vertical plane but extending beyond the outer edges of `the nonbearing studs which are also aligned in a single vertical plane, top and bottom horizontal beams connecting said studs, a corrugated sheet metal backing secured tothe outer edges of the nonbearing studs, extending between the bearing studs, secured thereto between the inner and outer edges and secured to the top and bottom horizontal beams whereby a rigid steel frame work is formed; a wire mesh secured to the outer edges of the bearing studs, a two inch concreteY wall within which said wire mesh and said outer edges ci said bearing studs are embedded, a corrugated sheet member backing said concrete wall, thereby forming a re-enforced weather prcof, termite proof and re proof wall, metal lath secured to the said aligned inner edges of said bearing and non-bearing studs, and plaster on said lathing, forming an inner wall spaced from the outer concrete wall by the non-bearing studs.

3. In a wall construction having an outer surface and an inner surface, in combination, spaced vertical bearing studs, vertical nonbearing studs spaced between said bearing studs, the inner edges of the studs being aligned in the same vertical pane and the outer edges of the bearing studs being aligned in a single vertical plane but extending beyond the outer edges of the non-bearing studs which are also aligned in a singlev vertical plane; a sheet metal backing secured to the cuter edges of the non-bearing studs, extending between the bearing studs, and being secured thereto between the inner and outer edges thereof, a wire mesh secured to the outer edges of the bearing studs; a concrete wall within which said wire mesh and said front edges of said bearing studs are embedded, -said concrete wall being backed by said sheet metal backing thereby forming a re-enforced weather proof, termite proof and fire proof wall; metal lath secured to the said aligned inner edges of the studs, and plaster on said lathing, forming an inner wall spaced from the cuter concrete wall by the non-bearing studs. i

4. A wall construction including spaced Vertical bearing angle studs, vertical non-bearing angle studs spaced between said bearing studs, the front set of sides of said angle studs being parallel to the surface of the wall, the bearing stud sides extending beyond the sides of the nonbearing studs, the other set of sides of said angle studs being at right angles to the wall and the rear edges thereof being aligned in a vertical piane, impervious sheet metal backing secured to the non-bearing studs, extending between the bearing studs and secured thereto, re-enforcing open mesh screening secured to the front sides of the bearing studs; a two inch concrete wall` within which the reenforcing open mesh screening and the front sides of the bearing studs are embedded, said concrete wall being backed by said sheet metal backing, metal lathing secured to the said rear edges of said angle studs, and

plaster on said lathing, forming an inner wall,

spaced from said outer concrete wall by the nonbearingstuds.

i 5, Inf a` wall construction having an outer surface andan inner surface, in combination, spaced vertical bearing studs, vertical non-bearing studs spaced between said bearing studs, the inner surfaces of the studs being aligned in the same Vertical plane and the outer surfaces of` the bearing studs being aligned in a single vertical plane but extending beyond the outer surface of the nonbearing studs which are also aligned in a single vertical plane;` a corrugated sheet metal backing secured to the outer edges of thev non-bearing studs, extending between the bearing studs, secured thereto between the inner and outer edges thereof, and secured to the top and bottom horizontal beam whereby a rigid steel frame work is formed and a wire mesh secured to the outer edges of the bearing studs; and a two inch concrete wall within which said wire mesh and the said outer edges of. said bearing studs are embedded, said wall being backed by said corrugated sheet backingV thereby forming a re-enforced weather proof, termite proof and re proof wall, and metal lathing secured to the inner edges of the studs to provide a support for plaster.

6. In alwall construction having an outer surface and an inner surface, in combination, spaced vertical bearing studs, vertical non-bearing studs spacedbetween said bearing studs, the inner surfaces of the studs being aligned in the same vert"- cal plane and the outer surfaces of the bearing studs being aligned in a single vertical plane but extending beyond the outer surfaces of the nonbearing studs which are also aligned in a single Vertical plane; sheet metal backing secured to the outer surfaces of the non-bearing studs, extending between the bearing studs, and secured thereto between the inner and outer surfaces thereof, wire mesh secured to the outer surfaces of the bearing studs; a concrete wall within which said wire mesh and the said front surfaces of said .bearing studs are embedded said concrete wall being backed by said sheet metal backing thereby forming a re-enforced weather proof, termite proof and fire proof wall; and metal lathing secured to the inner edges of said studs and spaced from the concrete wall by said non-bearing studs, said metal lathing forming a base on which plaster may be supported.

i 7. A wall construction including spaced vertical metal studs, corrugated metal backing extending between and secured to mid portions of said metal studs, wire mesh secured to one set of edges of said studs; a concrete wall within which said edges of said studs and saidwire mesh are embedded said concrete wall being backed by said corrugated metal backing to form a reenforced concrete wall; and metal lathing secured to the other set of edges of said studs providing a support for'plaster and spaced from said ccncrete wall by said studs.

8. A wall construction including spaced metal studs, metal backing extending between and secured to mid portions of said metal studs, said metal backing also constituting a re-eniorcing member, open mesh re-enforcing means secured to one set of edges of said studs, the said edges of said studs and said open mesh re-enforcing means being embedded in concrete backed by said re-enforcing member to form a re-enforcing concrete wall; and metal lathing secured to the other set of edges of said studs providing a support for plaster and spaced from Vsaid concrete wall by said studs.

9. A wall construction including spaced. metal studs, metal 1re-enforcing means extending between and secured to mid portions of said metal studs, said means being adapted to act as a metal backing, open mesh re-enforcing means secured to one set of .edges of said studs, concrete in which Vsaid edges of said studs and said wire mesh are embedded said concrete wall being backed by said corrugated metal backing to form a re-enforced concrete wall; and metal lathing secured to theother set of said studs providing a support for plaster spaced from said concrete wall, said studs, metal corrugated backing and'wire mesh co-acting to strengthen and reenforce the entire Wall.

ll. In a wall construction, uprights, metal backing secured to the mid portions of said uprights, open meshed re-enforcing means secured to one set of edges of said uprights, said metal backing forming a stop against which concrete may be sprayed to form a concrete wall backed and re-enorced by said metal backing and embedding the said edges of said metal uprights and saidcpen meshed re-enforcing means, said studs extending from said concrete wall thus formed and providing a support for a plaster supporting medium.

i2. n a wall construction, metal uprights, sheet metal backing and re-eniorcing means secured to said uprights, a concrete Wall Within which is embedded one set of edges oi said uprights said concrete wall being backed by said means to form a wall, re-enforced by said uprights and said means.; -the portions oi said uprightsnot embedded in wall extending therefrom to form a support for a plaster supporting medium.

13. n a wall construction, in combination, a series of metal studs having ,their edges lying in p backing member.

more than two spaced planes, re-enforcing means secured to some of said edges and lying in one of said planes, a re-eniorcing and backing member secured to other of said edges and iying in another oi said planes, and lathing means secured to the remaining-of said edges and lying inanother of said planes.

14. In a wall construction, in combination, spaced bearing studs, non-bearing studs between said studs, a backing member secured to the outer edges of said non-bearing studs, a re-enforcing member secured to. the cuter edges of said bearing studs and spaced .from said backing member, concrete within which said re-enforcing member is embedded said concrete being backed by said backing member, and lathing means secured to the inner edges of said studs.

l5. In a cement Wall construction, in combination, spaced studs, an impervious metal backing member secured with respect to said studs, re-enforcing means secured to said studs, cement in which is embedded said re-enforcing means, said member forming a backing for said cement and rendering the wall moisture proof.

16. In a cement wall construction, in combination, spaced studs, a termite-proof metal backing member secured to said studs between the edges thereof, re-enforcing means also secured to said studs and spaced from saidjbacking member, cement within which is embedded saidre-eniorcing means, said cement being directly backed by said backing member, and plaster supporting means secured to said studs and spaced from said 17. In a cement wail construction, in combination, spaced bearing studs, non-bearing studs between said bearing studs, an impervious backing member associated with said non-bearing studs, and re-enforcing means associated with said bearing studs, and cement within which said means is embedded said cement being backed by said backing member. v

18. In a cement wall construction, in combination, a supporting member, a non-supporting' member, re-eniorcing means secured to said supporting member, cement within which is embed- Vded said re-eniorcing means, backing means secured to said members and adapted both to back said cement and re-enforce said wall, and lathing means associated with said members.

ALEXANDER. F. BODENSTEIN. 

